What should I know before committing to plastic surgery?

March 14, 2021 11:57 AM

So, I've been on a weight loss journey for a long while now. It's been very successful thus far. I'm healthier and better off than I ever was before. I have thus far maintained my body stats during the pandemic.

However, I cannot seem to get the fat off of my neck. I hate that, I don't mind any other part of my body but I hate the neck fat and the way it makes look when I lower my chin. It's not as bad as it used to be a long time ago. Nonetheless, I still want it gone.

I'm considering paying a plastic surgeon to get rid of it. I've been looking into it and most procedures are generally not super invasive. However, I think we all know the stories of botched surgeries. I am treating this as seriously as when I get a new tattoo, which is to say extremely carefully and very seriously.

What should I know about this? What can you guys tell me about it?

posted by Tarsonis10 to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

I haven't had that particular type of surgery, but I have had plastic surgery. By far the most important thing I can tell you is: shop around!! I naively only went to one surgeon, and did not check into his reputation or credentials. Huge, huge mistake! He botched the job and I had to have it redone a year later. For the redo, I did massive research and met with a variety of surgeons. The one I chose was fabulous. He was affiliated with a large, major hospital, which is a plus. Think about how hard it is to find a hairdresser who cuts your hair in a way that you like; that is how hard it is to find a really good plastic surgeon. And, remember, your hair grows back but your plastic surgery doesn't.
posted by SageTrail at 12:06 PM on March 14, 2021 [3 favorites]

You need a surgeon who has done so many of the exact surgery you're seeking that they could do it in their sleep. Not a nose specialist who also does necks, etc. Not the best plastics doctor in your town. The best surgeon for your specific surgery, who can show you many many before and after photos and who has clients who will talk to you about their experience.
posted by phunniemee at 12:18 PM on March 14, 2021 [4 favorites]

Please double check it isn't a thyroid issue. I have a thyroid issue and it was only when I asked about the extra "fat " around my neck that I got treatment.
posted by tipsyBumblebee at 1:52 PM on March 14, 2021 [4 favorites]

If you're at a weight you're happy with and just have some under-chin/neck/jowl-line issues, have you looked into Kybella? It's injection-based, so less invasive than surgical or lipo procedures. I've never had it but I know a few friends in their 40s/50s who've had it and it has been very satisfying for them.
posted by erst at 3:55 PM on March 14, 2021 [1 favorite]

A resource for plastic surgery is RealSelf.
posted by batter_my_heart at 4:29 PM on March 14, 2021

I would meet with three potential surgeons if you decide to go ahead with it. I would imagine you would have to pay for the consultation, but you might learn something by talking to different practitioners. If you have a regular doctor who you trust, you might start with them for a recommendation.
posted by *s at 11:42 AM on March 15, 2021

Hey, I got this exact thing, submental liposuction, about 9 months ago. Overall, a very positive experience. I was and am a little pudgy, but my whole family has fat cheeks/chin/necks (even the skinny ones).

I consulted with 2 surgeons (both charged for the pleasure, fee applied to services should I go with them) -- one was very whizbang and wanted to upsell me the newest in lipotechnology (I forget the name of it, but they run a heating probe in there to tighten up the skin), the other was older and more of a traditional cosmetic surgeon. Both had fine looking portfolios and though neither specialized in just this type of liposuction, I expect I would have been happy with either.

I discussed the alternatives of cool sculpting and Kybella with both of them -- they both strongly suggested lipo was cheaper, less painful and had better outcomes (to be clear: they each offered at least one of the alternatives, so it wasn't just drumming up business).

Kybella is 'non surgical', but requires multiple treatments of tens/hundreds of injections, has wildly varied outcomes, and usually comes in about 3-4x as expensive as traditional lipo, with a more painful healing process that you get to enjoy each treatment! One of the surgeons had had Kybella himself, and was so displeased with it, he stopped offering it at his office. The other had had cool sculpting done to himself, because he didn't trust the other guy with his lipo (lol). He said it was the easiest of the options, but by far the least predictable and effective.

I went with the more traditional surgeon/procedure, no whizbang heating probe in my face. It was an easy valium+opiate+local anesthetic outpatient procedure, and I felt fine over the recovery -- only took one day off of work, but wore a headwrap for a few weeks. The worst part was my itchy beard growing back in and not wanting to shave around the stitches, honestly. Results were solidly positive, the three portal scars are gone and I look like me, just minus what seems like 8 fl oz of chin. The surgeon let me keep a little jar of my chin fat too, because, why not!
posted by so fucking future at 11:43 AM on March 15, 2021 [2 favorites]